Letter of His Holiness Pope Francis to Mrs. Angela Merkel, Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany on the occasion of the G20 Summit in Hamburg, 7-8, July 2017.
Following our recent meeting in
the Vatican, and in response to your thoughtful request, I would like to offer
some considerations that, together with all the Pastors of the Catholic Church,
I consider important in view of the forthcoming meeting of the G20, which will
gather Heads of State and of Government of the Group of major world economies
and the highest authorities of the European Union. In doing so, I follow
a tradition begun by Pope Benedict XVI in April 2009 on the occasion of the London G20. My
Predecessor likewise wrote to Your Excellency in 2006, when Germany held the presidency of the European Union and
the G8.
In the first place, I wish to
express to you, and to the leaders assembled in Hamburg, my appreciation for
the efforts being made to ensure the governability and stability of the world
economy, especially with regard to financial markets, trade, fiscal problems
and, more generally, a more inclusive and sustainable global economic growth
(cf. G20 Leaders Communiqué, Hangzhou Summit, 5 September 2016). As is
evident from the Summit’s programme, such efforts are inseparable from the need
to address ongoing conflicts and the worldwide problem of migrations.
In my Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, the programmatic document
of my Pontificate addressed to the Catholic faithful, I proposed four
principles of action for the building of fraternal, just and peaceful
societies: time is greater than space; unity prevails over conflict;
realities are more important than ideas; and the whole is
greater than the part. These lines of action are evidently part of
the age-old wisdom of all humanity; I believe that they can also serve as an
aid to reflection for the Hamburg meeting and for the assessment of its
outcome.
Time is greater than
space. The gravity, complexity and interconnection of world
problems is such that there can be no immediate and completely satisfying
solutions. Sadly, the migration crisis, which is inseparable from the issue of
poverty and exacerbated by armed conflicts, is proof of this. It is
possible, though, to set in motion processes that can offer solutions that are
progressive and not traumatic, and which can lead in relatively short order to
free circulation and to a settlement of persons that would be to the advantage
of all.
Nonetheless, this tension between space and time, between limit
and fullness, requires an exactly contrary movement in the minds of government
leaders and the powerful. An effective solution, necessarily spread over
time, will be possible only if the final objective of the process is clearly present
in its planning. In the minds and hearts of government leaders, and at
every phase of the enactment of political measures, there is a need to give
absolute priority to the poor, refugees, the suffering, evacuees and the
excluded, without distinction of nation, race, religion or culture, and to
reject armed conflicts.
At this point, I
cannot fail to address to the Heads of State and of Government of the G20, and
to the entire world community, a heartfelt appeal for the tragic situation in
South Sudan, the Lake Chad basin, the Horn of Africa and Yemen, where thirty
million people are lacking the food and water needed to survive.
A commitment to meet these situations with urgency and to provide
immediately support to those peoples will be a sign of the seriousness and
sincerity of the mid-term commitment to reforming the world economy and a
guarantee of its sound development.
Unity prevails over
conflict. The history of humanity, in our own day too, presents us
with a vast panorama of current and potential conflicts. War,
however, is never a solution. As the hundredth anniversary
of Pope Benedict XV’s Letter to the Leaders of the Warring
Peoples draws near, I feel bound to ask that the world put
an end to all these “useless
slaughters”. The goal of the G20 and of other similar
annual meetings is to resolve economic differences peacefully and to agree on
common financial and trade rules to allow for
the integral development of all, in order to implement the 2030 Agenda and the
Sustainable Development Goals (cf. Communiqué of the G20 Hangzhou
Summit).
Yet that will not be possible unless all parties commit themselves
to substantially reducing levels of conflict, halting the present arms race and
renouncing direct or indirect involvement in conflicts, as well as agreeing to discuss
sincerely and transparently all their differences. There is a
tragic contradiction and inconsistency in the apparent unity expressed in
common forums on economic or social issues, and the acceptance, active or
passive, of armed conflicts.
Realities are more
important than ideas. The fateful ideologies of the first half of the twentieth
century have been replaced by new ideologies of absolute market autonomy and
financial speculation (cf. Evangelii Gaudium, 56). In their
tragic wake, these bring exclusion, waste and even death. The significant
political and economic achievements of the past century, on the other hand,
were always marked by a sound and prudent pragmatism, guided by the primacy of
the human being and the attempt to integrate and coordinate diverse and at
times opposed realities, on the basis of respect for each and every
citizen. I pray to God that the Hamburg Summit may be illumined by the
example of those European and world leaders who consistently gave pride of
place to dialogue and the quest of common solutions: Schuman, De Gasperi,
Adenauer, Monnet and so many others.
The whole is greater than
the part. Problems need to be resolved concretely and with due
attention to their specificity, but such solutions, to be lasting, cannot
neglect a broader vision. They must likewise consider eventual
repercussions on all countries and their citizens, while respecting the views
and opinions of the latter. Here I would repeat the warning that Benedict
XVI addressed to the G20 London Summit in 2009. While it is reasonable
that G20 Summits should be limited to the small number of countries that
represent 90% of the production of wealth and services worldwide, this very
situation must prompt the participants to a profound reflection.
Those
states and individuals whose voice is weakest on the world political scene are
precisely the ones who suffer most from the harmful effects of economic crises
for which they bear little or no responsibility. This great majority,
which in economic terms counts for only 10% of the whole, is the portion of
humanity that has the greatest potential to contribute to the progress of
everyone.
Consequently, there is need to make constant reference to the
United Nations, its programmes and associated agencies, and regional
organizations, to respect and honour international treaties, and to continue
promoting a multilateral approach, so that solutions can be truly universal and
lasting, for the benefit of all (cf. Benedict XVI, Letter to the Honourable Gordon Brown, 30 March
2009).
I offer these considerations as
a contribution to the work of the G20, with trust in the spirit of responsible
solidarity that guides all those taking part. I ask God’s blessings upon
the Hamburg meeting and on every effort of the international community to shape
a new era of development that is innovative, interconnected, sustainable,
environmentally respectful and inclusive of all peoples and all individuals
(cf. Communiqué of the G20 Hangzhou Summit).
I take this occasion to assure
Your Excellency of my high consideration and esteem.
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